WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Andy Kim (D-3rd) announced that he will self-quarantine for two weeks following direct contact with a member of Congress who has tested positive for COVID-19.
According to USA Today, Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla) and Ben McAdams (D-Ut) have tested positive for COVID-19.
“Now is the time to be safe and to take all precautions for each other,” said Congressman Kim. “In the past few hours, I’ve received word that a Member of Congress, who I was in direct contact with, tested positive for COVID-19. The health of our community must be our top priority, so I’ve decided to self-quarantine, and I want to strongly encourage anyone in a similar situation to take the same action. It’s important to follow the CDC guidelines, follow your doctor’s advice, and take the appropriate steps to stay safe and stop the spread of this virus, as I hope others are doing who might have been exposed. I’ll be continuing to work full time with my staff to help people across Burlington and Ocean counties get through this crisis and to advocate for critical supplies and testing that can help our health care professionals and first responders on the front lines.”
The Ocean County Health Department and local schools have been putting out messages to residents and parents about what to do and what not to do. Most of the bullet points are the same. They are summed up here:
- Wash hands often, with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds, especially after coughing or sneezing. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or into your sleeve, not your hands.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Keep your children home when they are sick. Children should not return to school unless they have been fever-free without medication for 24 hours.
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Avoid people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect regularly.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects.
- Encourage a “do not share” rule: food, drink, lip balm, pencils, etc.
- Have a 30-day supply of non-perishables, medicine, and medical needs like oxygen.
- Call a doctor if you feel like you’re developing symptoms.
- Stay in touch with family and loved ones
Fighting The Disease
A drive-through COVID-19 testing center will likely be another layer of safety and screening to slow the spread of the disease through Ocean County.
Ocean County Health Department officials are in talks now with local agencies to determine where the drive-through test will be located, and what the chain of command will be.
While the timeline for this service is not yet known, the county wants to get it started as soon as possible, said Brian Lippai, public information officer for the Ocean County Health Department.
There are other ways to get tested, Lippai clarified. There are tests at hospitals and private health care facilities. Testing has to be arranged through your health care provider, however.
